Thursday, August 12, 2010

Justice and Full Vindication for Whistleblowing Nurses

In February I wrote about how physician Rolando G. Arafiles, hospital administrator Stan Wiley, and Winkler County (west Texas) Sheriff Roberts tried to intimidate and prosecute two whistleblowing nurses who complained about the care Dr. Arafiles was providing. (See here and here.)

It took the jury one hour to acquit the one nurse who was brought to trial. (Charges against the other were dropped before the court date.)

The nurses then sued the hospital, Dr. Arafiles and Mr. Wiley for vindictive prosecution and denial of First Amendment rights. This week the defendants settled out of court for $750,000. In the meanwhile, the Texas Board of Medicine has charged Dr. Arafiles with numerous violations.

The two nurses have not been able to find other jobs. But Dr. Arafiles is still employed by the unrepentant hospital.